The Highwayman chords by Phil Ochs
Guitar chords with lyrics
Tuning: Half-Step Down (D# G# C# F# A# D#)
Key: C
Difficulty: Novice
Poem by Alfred Noyes
1st stanza:
C Em
The wind was a torrent of darkness
Am
Among the gusty trees
Em F
The moon was a ghostly galleon
Dm G7
Tossed upon cloudy seas
C Em
And the road was a ribbon of moonlight
Am
Over the purple moor
F C E Am
And the highwayman came riding, riding, riding
F C Am
Yes, the highwayman came riding
Dm G7
Up to the old inn door
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Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -
2nd stanza:
C Em
Over the cobbles he clattered
Am
And clashed in the darkened yard
Em F
And he tapped with his whip at the window
Dm G7
But all was locked and barred
C Em
So he whistled a tune to the window
Am
And who should be waiting there
F C
But the landlord's black eyed daughter
E Am
Bess the landlord's daughter
F C Am
Plaiting a dark red love knot
Dm G7
Into her long black hair
3rd stanza:
C Em
One kiss, my bonny sweetheart
Am
For I'm after a prize tonight
Em F
But I shall be back with the yellow gold
Dm G7
Before the morning light
C Em
Yet if they press me sharply
Am
Harry me through the day
F C
Oh, then look for me by moonlight
E Am
Watch for me by moonlight
F C Am
And I'll come to thee by moonlight
Dm G7
Though Hell should bar the way
4th stanza:
C Em
He did not come at the dawning
Am
No, he did not come at the noon
Em F
And out of the tawny sunset
Dm G7
Before the rise of the moon
C Em
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon
Am
Looping the purple moor
F C E Am
Oh a redcoat troop came marching, marching, marching
F C Am
King George's men came marching
Dm G7
Up to the old inn door
5th stanza:
C Em
And they bound the landlord's daughter
Am
With many a sniggering jest
Em F
And they bound the musket beside her
Dm G7
With the barrel beneath her breast
C Em
Now keep good watch and they kissed her
Am
She heard the dead man say
F C
"Oh look for me by moonlight
E Am
Watch for me by moonlight
F C Am
And I'll come to thee by moonlight
Dm G7
Though Hell should bar the way"
6th stanza:
C Em
Look for me by moonlight
Am
Hoofbeats rining clear
Em F
Watch for me by moonlight
Dm G7
Were they deaf that they did not hear
C Em
For he rode on the gypsy highway
Am
She breathed one final breath
F C
Then her finger moved in the moonlight
E Am
Her musket shattered the moonlight
F C Am
And it shattered her breast in the moonlight
Dm G7
And warned him with her death
7th stanza:
C Em
Oh he turned; he spurred on to the west
Am
He did not know who stood
Em F
Out with her black hair a flowing down
Dm G7
Drenched with her own red blood
C Em
Oh not 'til the dawn had he heard it
Am
And his face grew gray to hear
F C
How Bess the landlord's daughter
E Am
The landlord's black eyed daughter
F C Am
Had watched for her love in the moonlight
Dm G7
And died in the darkness there
8th stanza:
C Em
Back he spurred like a madman
Am
Shrieking a curse to the sky
Em F
With the white road smoking behind him
Dm G
And his rapier brandished high
C Em
Blood red were his spurs in the golden noon
Am
Wine red his velvet coat
F C
When they shot him down on the highway
E Am
Down like a dog on the highway
F C
And he lay in his blood on the highway
F G
With a bunch of lace at his throat
Outro:
C Em
And still on a winter's night they say
Am
When the wind is in the trees
Em F
When the moon is a ghostly galleon
Dm G7
Tossed upon cloudy seas
C Em
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight
Am
Over the purple moor
F C E Am
Oh the highwayman comes riding, riding, riding
F C Am
Yes the highwayman comes riding
Dm G7 C
Up to the old inn door
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The Highwayman chords